Asia Cup 2025: Sri Lanka Outclass Bangladesh in Dominant Six-Wicket Victory
Abu Dhabi, September 14 (Sports Desk)
In a highly anticipated Group B clash of the Asia Cup 2025 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Sri Lanka delivered a commanding performance to defeat Bangladesh by six wickets with 32 balls to spare. The match, marked by clinical bowling and aggressive batting from the defending champions, significantly boosted Sri Lanka’s net run rate (NRR) in the tournament’s “group of death,” while putting Bangladesh’s Super Four qualification hopes in jeopardy.
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Toss and Team Composition
Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and elected to bowl first, citing the fresh pitch and the team’s confidence in their bowling attack. Bangladesh, led by Litton Das, expressed no qualms about batting first, aiming to set a competitive total. Both teams fielded strong line-ups, with Sri Lanka welcoming back Wanindu Hasaranga from injury, bolstering their spin department alongside Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage. Bangladesh retained their XI from their previous win against Hong Kong, featuring three frontline seamers and a spin-heavy attack.
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Sri Lanka Playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka (c), Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara.
Bangladesh Playing XI: Parvez Hossain Emon, Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das (c & wk), Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman.
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Bangladesh Innings: A Tale of Collapse and Recovery
Bangladesh’s innings got off to a disastrous start, with Sri Lanka’s pace duo of Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera setting the tone with back-to-back wicket maidens. Thushara struck in the first over, bowling Tanzid Hasan (0 off 6) with a swinging delivery that crashed into the off stump. Chameera followed suit in the second over, inducing an edge from Parvez Hossain Emon (0 off 4), caught behind by Kusal Mendis. This made Sri Lanka only the second team in T20I history to start an innings with two consecutive wicket maidens.
The pressure continued as Towhid Hridoy.
System: Jaker Ali (41* off 36) and Shamim Hossain (42* off 34) staged a crucial recovery with an unbeaten 86-run partnership for the sixth wicket, lifting Bangladesh from a precarious 53/5 in 9.5 overs to a respectable 139/5. Their sensible approach, rotating the strike and capitalizing on loose deliveries, ensured Bangladesh had something to defend, though the total was below par on a batting-friendly Abu Dhabi pitch. Litton Das (28 off 22) showed intent with three boundaries in the powerplay’s final over but fell to Hasaranga’s guile, gloving a reverse-sweep to the keeper. Mahedi Hasan (10 off 13) was trapped lbw by Hasaranga’s trademark googly, and Hridoy (8 off 13) was run out due to a brilliant direct hit by Kamil Mishara from deep square leg.
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Sri Lanka’s bowlers were disciplined, with Wanindu Hasaranga (2/25 in 4 overs) leading the charge. His return from a hamstring injury proved pivotal, as his googlies troubled Bangladesh’s middle order. Nuwan Thushara (1/18) and Dushmantha Chameera (1/14) were economical, exploiting early swing, while Matheesha Pathirana (0/42) was expensive but offered variety with his slingy action. Maheesh Theekshana kept things tight, conceding just 7 runs in his final over. The two-paced nature of the pitch, combined with Chameera’s precise yorkers in the death overs, restricted Bangladesh’s scoring rate, with only one six in the innings—a pick-up shot by Shamim off Pathirana.
Sri Lanka’s Chase: Nissanka and Mishara Shine
Chasing 140, Sri Lanka got off to a brisk start despite losing Kusal Mendis (3 off 5) early, lbw to Mahedi Hasan after a successful Bangladesh review. Pathum Nissanka (50 off 34) and Kamil Mishara (46* off 32) then took control, forging a match-defining 95-run partnership for the second wicket. Nissanka, in scintillating form, opened with a six over midwicket and reached his half-century in 34 balls, becoming the fastest Sri Lankan to 2,000 T20I runs (68 innings), surpassing Kusal Perera’s record (76 innings). Mishara, dropped early by Mahedi Hasan off Shoriful Islam in the fifth over, capitalized with an aggressive 18-run over, including two fours and a six.
Sri Lanka raced to 55/1 in the powerplay, hitting three sixes compared to Bangladesh’s one in their entire innings. The chase remained one-sided, with Bangladesh’s bowlers struggling for discipline. Rishad Hossain (0/35) leaked runs, including a googly that went for four byes, while Mustafizur Rahman (1/35) and Shoriful Islam (0/33) couldn’t stem the flow. Nissanka fell to Mahedi (2/29) in the 11th over, caught by Shoriful Islam at deep backward square leg, and Kusal Perera (8 off 7) was trapped lbw by Mahedi soon after. Dasun Shanaka (4 off 5) fell to Tanzim Hasan Sakib, but Charith Asalanka (10* off 6) sealed the chase with a six over deep midwicket, finishing at 140/4 in 14.4 overs. Mishara’s unbeaten knock, with 4 fours and 2 sixes, earned him the Player of the Match award.
Key Moments and Quotes
Sri Lanka’s Dream Start: Asalanka highlighted the first two overs as the turning point, stating, “The first two overs were the key moment with two wickets and two maidens, setting up the platform perfectly.” He praised Hasaranga’s googly as a “superstar” weapon.
Bangladesh’s Struggles: Litton Das admitted, “We lost the game inside the powerplay itself with the bat. Had we scored around 170-180, it would have been a different game.”
Nissanka’s Milestone: Nissanka’s 50 not only guided the chase but also marked him as Sri Lanka’s fastest to 2,000 T20I runs, a testament to his stellar 2025 (230 runs at a strike rate of 147.43).
Impact on Group B Standings
Sri Lanka’s comprehensive win, with a significant NRR boost (+2.450), places them in a strong position in Group B alongside Afghanistan (+4.700). Bangladesh, despite their earlier win over Hong Kong, now face a must-win clash against Afghanistan on September 16 to keep their Super Four hopes alive, with their NRR taking a hit (+1.001).
Conclusion
Sri Lanka’s all-round dominance, from their fiery opening spell to their fluent chase, underscored their pedigree as six-time Asia Cup champions and defending T20 champions (2022). Bangladesh, despite a valiant recovery by Jaker Ali and Shamim Hossain, were outplayed in all departments, particularly in the field, where misfields and dropped catches proved costly. As Sri Lanka prepare to face Hong Kong on September 15, they carry momentum, while Bangladesh must regroup quickly to stay in the tournament.
